Mohammed Aadam killing: Teen says he stabbed man to death in self-defence

A TEENAGER who stabbed a man to death in the street has told a jury that he was acting in self-defence and said he disarmed his would-be attacker, before killing him with his own knife.

Erick Ekam admits stabbing Mohammed Aadam Mohammed to death in Hampstead Road, near Mornington Crescent, last September, but denies murder.

The 18-year-old, from Kentish Town, told the Old Bailey that he feared for his life when he had a “chance” encounter with Mr Mohammed, who, he said, was rumoured to have previously shot and injured two of his friends.

He said: “I noticed he had put his hood up and looks in my direction. He points his finger and then pulls it like a gun motion.”

“I assumed he was going to pull out a weapon.

“He goes for his waist. I grab his hand before I see anything. Then I see the knife. Then we started scuffling with the knife.”

A pathologist found Mr Mohammed, 20, was stabbed in the arm, neck and back.

The blows were so ferocious that the tip of the eight-inch blade snapped off and lodged in Mr Mohammed’s arm, the court heard.

An undercover police officer earlier told the court that he witnessed Mr Ekam pull a knife from his waistband before delivering a “flurry of blows”.

Sergeant Matthew Ebbs said Mr Mohammed had been backing away from Mr Ekam, with his hands outstretched, when he was attacked.

He said: “I saw the defendant take out what I believed at the time to be a kitchen knife from his waistband.

“Then I observed the defendant launch an attack, really, on the victim.”

Mr Ekam fled the scene, pursued by Sgt Ebbs, and threw the knife onto railways tracks. Asked why he ran away from police, Mr Ekam said: “Because I had a knife and I was scared.”

Mr Ekam was eventually detained by Sgt Ebbs in Chalton Street. He was later examined by a doctor and found to have suffered not a single knife injury, the court heard.

Members of the public tended to Mr Mohammed, who had collapsed on the pavement outside the Ampthill Square estate. One held a scarf to his neck before paramedics arrived and a doctor from London’s Air Ambulance performed surgery to try to stem the flow of blood.

“Despite all their efforts, Mr Mohammed sadly died from his wounds,” prosecuting barrister Allison Hunter said.